A long-time offshore analyst believes that a happy medium has to be found in a dispute between Equinor and Trades NL.
Equinor has said that the work on the Bay du Nord topsides will be done outside the country while Trades NL wants 75 per cent of the topsides work to be done locally.
Equinor paused the Bay du Nord project for a time to find ways to make it more economically feasible. The company revealed at the recent Placentia Bay Industrial Showcase that none of the topsides work would be done in Canada.
Rob Strong, who has been watching the Newfoundland offshore industry for more than 40 years, says government has a role to play.
“I know the incoming premier has said that they want to maximize local content for Newfoundland on topsides fabrication, so it’s a bit frightening, because we desperately need that project.”